Northrop to upgrade software for Navy's Fire Scout UAV

By Defense Systems Staff

Sep 28, 2012

The Navy has awarded Northrop Grumman a one-year, $28 million contract to provide software development support for the Navy's MQ-8B Fire Scout unmanned aerial vehicle, the Defense Department said Sept. 27.

Under the contract, Northrop will furnish software sustainment and engineering support for the vertical take-off and landing UAV.

The MQ-8B has the ability to autonomously take off and land on any warship capable of supporting avaiation assets and at prepared and unprepared landing zones. It can enhance the situational awareness of naval forces through its intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and targeting capabilities. The Fire Scout also has a communications relay capability in keeping with net-centric warfare concepts.

The company will perform the majority of the work in San Diego and a small portion of it at Patuxent Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Md.

The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, is the contracting activity.